


Corruption

by carnivorousBelvedere



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrien Has a Hard Time, Aged-Up Character(s), Enemies to Lovers, F/M, Plagg Needs Help, Plagg is a Little Shit, enemies au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-25
Updated: 2016-10-26
Packaged: 2018-08-24 10:11:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,833
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8368393
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/carnivorousBelvedere/pseuds/carnivorousBelvedere
Summary: Ladybug decides to be Paris’s new hero. Plagg makes sure Chat Noir is going to be the baddest boy the city’s ever seen.But when Chat realizes Hawk Moth’s akumas are targeting his miraculous, he has no choice but to join forces with his Lady enemy.





	1. Chapter 1

Plagg flew out of the ring, appearing in front of his Chosen.  
“Oh my, does it feel good to be out again!” he said, yawning and stretching. “Hey kid, get me some cheese.”

Adrien stared dumbfounded at the creature before him, his mouth ajar. He shook his head, “What are you??”

“The name’s Plagg, nice to meet you. I’m your new best friend and partner.” Adrien opened his mouth to speak and—“Let me explain. Kid, I’ll give you super powers. Freedom like you’ve never dreamed.” Adrien shut his mouth.  
“My services come with a price though. I’m gonna tell it to you straight. I’ve been alive a long time and I’m tired of playing good. You have another ha- partner out there. But you’re not going to team up with her this time.”

“No?” Adrien squeaked out. 'Her?' He thinks.

“Oh no kid, you and me, we’re going to bad. Let’s have a little fun."

Plagg knew there were rules. He knew that he was to obey his Chosen. But as long as the kid didn't know, he thought for now it couldn't hurt. What's the worst that could happen? 

 

Soon after his primer from Plagg, Chat found himself out in the city. Ladybug was battling the akuma! It was just like Plagg said! He ran and dropped down on a roof across from her. It was a giant plastic-looking being, sucking color from the streets out of an apparatus attached to its arm. 

"Well, hello there miss!" he called out to her, his tail swishing after him. 

She took a moment to glance over at him. "You! Thank goodness you've come! I need you to distract this akuma!" Ladybug commanded. 

"The name's Chat Noir, and no, I think I'd rather not," he crouched on the roof, looking amused. Adrien felt a little bit bad. But it was nice not to have anybody telling him what to do. Except for his new kwami, that is. 

Ladybug stopped and stared at him. "What do you mean you'd rather not? Is there some other plan you have?"

"Yeah... and that plan involves not being part of your plan." In a swift movement he extended his baton out to her and nudged her. She was frozen and staring, very clearly confused. "What is it Ladybug, cat got your tongue?" No response. 

The gears were whirling in her head. She realized something was wrong, very wrong. This was not the partner Tikki promised her. The only movement she made was to leap out of the way of the akuma's color-sucker another time. 

"Well, I'm gonna make one thing clear then. I'm not your partner. I'm not your help around here. And I'm going to do my own thing in this city," Chat spoke and turned around, leaping away. He gritted his teeth, trying not to think of the betrayal in those blue eyes. He took off with freedom in his step and the screams of civilians behind him. A large bank several streets down caught his eye, and he recalled what Plagg had told him to do. 

He ended up using his first Cataclysm to break into a bank. 

Ladybug used her first Miraculous Ladybug call to clean up after the akuma... and him. 

\---------------------------

 

Marinette flew into her room after her first akuma battle, flushed with victory and intense annoyance. The transformation left her and Tikki flew out, a distraught red blur.  
“No no no this is not how it’s supposed to go!” she cried out.

“You told me he was supposed to be my partner! Not that he would try to mess up everything!” Marinette demanded. She then sighed, and turned to the window. 

“Oh Marinette I’m so sorry! I didn’t know he would still be like this… I thought this was fixed last time but I was wrong. Oh, Plagg…” she shook in midair, then came down to Marinette’s shoulder. It didn't help, Marinette was shaking just as badly so she returned to making circles in the air.

Marinette sat on her chaise, large eyes following the kwami’s erratic movements.  
She stopped and looked at Marinette. “First, cookies… then, we talk.”

 

Feeling calmer with the sugar in her, Tikki was ready to talk, if only a little.

“Marinette, it’s not supposed to happen like this. That boy… Chat Noir he calls himself now… is supposed to be your partner! I promise you, he is. But he has a kwami too… like me! I worry, something bad happened with our last partners. Dark energy overtook him. He became resentful of our partnership. Resentful of what you and I become. I fear now that he’s affecting his Chosen. Or maybe… the Guardian chose the wrong Chosen.” Tikki shuddered. “Marinette, I’ve said too much. I need some time to think, and you need some time to rest. Your first battle was brilliant, I’m proud of you!”

Marinette had nothing to say either way, her body constricting and aching all over. She didn’t think she could handle two enemies at once. She didn’t want to be a hero alone. In this moment, she felt scared and alone. That boy under the mask, who was he? She wondered if it was him or the kwami of his. He seemed so apathetic. The way he grinned at her when he said he wouldn't help her made her nauseous. Suddenly she wasn't so sure about putting those earrings on. 

\-------------------------- 

On a fateful rainy afternoon, Adrien handed his umbrella to Marinette.

Their fingers brushed, sending a wave of electricity through Marinette. It overwhelmed her to the core. The world around that boy’s face faded to a blur. His green eyes were all she could see. In this moment, nothing else mattered but his face.

  
He feels something too, a dull warmth of some kind. He doesn’t know what it is. He decides on friendship. That warm feeling is /absolutely/ friendship.

 

  
Watching from a distance, an elderly man looks on worriedly. “I fear I have made a mistake, Wayzz. Plagg was not ready," he spoke slowly. Then his face contorted in pain. "Or I chose the wrong boy.”

“Master, it is I who should have sensed Plagg’s unwillingness. It is I who has failed you.”

“Wayzz, wait… I believe there is hope. These two, they are clearly made for each other. They are a perfect match. Their miraculous does not work in the absence of this. There is hope for this boy yet,” Master Wu looks on grimly. "We shall not intervene, for now. I believe in this Ladybug. She will find a way." 

  
“Master, you're right. There is hope. For him, and Plagg.”


	2. Chapter 2

There were many times Ladybug kicked Chat’s ass for those first few months. He never exactly fought her in an akuma battle, but he certainly didn’t help. Using his cataclysm at inopportune times, like causing the Eiffel tower to disappear when she was fighting on top of it. He was never much more than an incredible nuisance to her. Chat caused akuma battles to become drawn out and long. And though she didn’t have a reference point, she did believe he made them much more dangerous. Outside of that he robbed banks and threatened cafes for free crepes. He stole macarons from Ladurée. He never even kept any valuables or Euros he garnered, he ended up leaving them at random shelters around town. Her “Miraculous Ladybug” call usually was able to fix everything, as it always undid recent miraculous damage.

Soon, her anger changed. She became less angry and spent more time eye rolling. And then she was constantly eye rolling. And glaring. She couldn’t stand him. His terrible puns, his incessant flirting, his fighting around her and making her life miserable. Half the time he didn’t do much. He kept getting accidentally akumatized. From getting turned into a mummy to being Princess Frangance’s slave he was useless to his own cause. Which, if she was honest with herself, she did not even know what his purpose was.

“He‘s probably the world lamest villain,” she found herself joking one evening. Tikki would giggle grimly at these comments.

But there was something in those eyes she noticed that made her drawn in.

As if there was something there that she was missing.

\-------

He started off his first few encounters with Ladybug feeling amused. But that girl, she was so capable, and so able to keeping kicking him to pieces. He kept coming back for more. Partially because Plagg made him, but partially because he wanted to.

He found himself taking a cold shower one night after a battle, drenched in sweat, thinking of how the magic cloth of the outfit clung to her curves. He thought about how smooth that skin looked under that outfit.

He thought about how sexy she looked punching him in the face before flying off into the city.

He thought about how much he /hated/ that look.

He thought about who that girl might be under the mask. The girl who called him awful and annoying and all sorts of names.

The girl who probably despised his existence.

The girl he despised.

Adrien put his hands on the shower wall and let the water cover him. With a sinking feeling, he realized he enjoyed Ladybug kicking his ass. He felt a burn inside him, a glowing hatred for the heroine. “It’s just like Plagg said…” he grumbled. “She always gets the spotlight. She always gets everything.”

He moved to turn the shower to a hotter level, trying to let himself relax. Eventually he calmed himself enough to collapse in his bed, his angry kwami staring judgmentally from a bookshelf. At least Plagg gave him some privacy sometime, but for the most part the little guy didn’t talk. He only demanded cheese and sneezed a lot. A black aura seemed to coat him, but he only noticed it in the light.

“Plagg, couldn’t we take down Ladybug if we just teamed up with Hawk Moth?” Adrien asked innocently.

“No,” Plagg replied. “Don’t ever consider it. You and I are our own agents. We don’t need anyone but us. Forget everyone but us. You understand? If Ladybug or Hawk Moth ever tries to tell you otherwise they are lying.”

Plagg knew that he was manipulating his chosen. It was his desire, the child didn't know any better.

His reply was enough for Adrien. He didn’t ask too many questions, he didn’t want to question the freedom the ring gave him.

He did not want to lose Plagg.

Being bad did feel good, even if he was terrible at it. Although sometimes he disliked the way people cowered in fear as he called upon his cataclysm. The fear in the banker’s eyes when he demanded she open the vault made his insides twist. The way people would throw a box of pastries at him to get him to leave, not even licking the strawberry filling off his fingers from a macaron run could make him feel better about that. At least he had an infinite supply of cheese for Plagg, it was a relatively easy item to steal.

Plagg never urged him to hurt anyone, so he didn’t. He didn’t really want to either way. He just enjoyed the chaos. But it was lonely, lonely like his life at home. At least he had his school friends, and Nino was loyal.

He didn’t really know how to talk to people and half the time the guilt of his actions overwhelmed him. His classmate’s parents had to work overtime for his messes. His classmates were scared of his alter ego. When he went to class and people looked at him, he didn’t know if it was because he was famous or if it was because deep down they knew who he was. Girls gossiping over his latest photo shoot was actually whispering about his latest failed Chat Noir heist. But no one ever came for him, no one said anything.

Except that they hated the cat.

He was split in two.

\------

Marinette took her seat behind Adrien. Alya came to sit beside her.

Adrien was hunkered down in front of her over his phone, greedily checking the Ladyblog. Despite his despising, he still could not stop reading about her. His ears perked at the conversation behind him.

“Ugh, Marinette, this cat makes blogging an absolute nightmare,” Alya said, making a few more taps on her phone.

“That cat is an absolute nightmare himself,” Marinette groaned into her hands on the table. She turned to look at Alya.

“He gets too much attention! I’m not running the, ‘Chat Noir and Lady-Blog,’ it's the LADYBLOG. I can’t get some of the boards to shut up about how they’d make a cute couple.”

“What! Alya! That’s a terrible thought there.” Marinette screeched. “I need some brain bleach to wash that one out."

Marinette felt heat wash through her. How could people even think of her and that disgusting alley cat together? He was a complete tramp.

Adrien flushed intensely as warm feelings flared out into his extremities. Ladybug and Chat Noir? A couple? He couldn't deny that he didn’t think about her, requiring all those nights of cold showers.

Then black tendrils of hate flared out over most of those warm feelings. It was like Alya even said, its alllll about Ladybug!

He took his chance to swivel around and look up at the ladies with a shy smile. He was working on his façade, now was a moment to test it. “Marinette, why do you say that? I kind of like the cat. You gotta admit he’s got some style.”

“Adrien!!” Marinette gasped. “Well, I like cat—I mean!!—You like the cat---but I don’t like the cat. Yeah. The cat. Don’t like.”

Alya was smiling through her fingertips.

Adrien let it settle in, of course the golden girl of the school didn’t like him. “Well, maybe there’s something else going on. Maybe it’s not his fault,” Adrien said and Plagg took a ripe moment to bite his arm gently. Adrien flinched and turned out, realizing he said too much. He returned to slouching over his phone.

Marinette stared down at him for a moment. He had a point—she didn’t completely know why. But what could be the problem?

 

Later that afternoon, there was an akuma attack. Marinette retransformed to her civilian self in a bare corner of the school. Hawk Moth had been growing more and more aggressive. This akuma had wiped her out. Chat had made her even more miserable, today he used his baton to push her off the roof entirely. She wished for once she could maintain the battle to just the roof and not the actual school!

But more than anything, she wanted something else.

“Tikki, I’m not strong enough to keep doing this, I wish I had someone else,” Marinette confessed to Tikki.

Tikki floated down to stroke Marinettes cheek. “Oh, Marinette. You two are part of a whole. You are stronger together. Unstoppable, even. But you are so strong. Look at how amazing you’ve been!” her kwami encouraged.

“Tikki, could we fix this? What could be wrong with him?” Marinette questioned.

Tikki floated down into her purse. “Well, maybe you should ask him sometime. We know he won’t hurt you.”

That was the weird part, Marinette knew. He never tried to hurt anyone.

\------

Marinette found herself with some designer’s block. So she did her routine when this happened: she took a bag of pastries from the shop and paid for admittance to the Louvre. She found herself in an isolated, obscure wing of the museum, and sat down to sketch.

Today was a Greek history day. She was drawn in to the blue and white designs on the pottery. But the black and pale maroon designs that depicted ancient stories also caught her attention. She could always trust that some inspiration would return here.

It was not uncommon to see art students sitting in front of statues, practicing as well. But she was not here for that. She loved to take the old designs and turn them into something new. Even if she never actually got around to making it, at least she could trust the idea was there in her sketchbook. She began to doodle Greek-style patterns, following the designs that were etched into the necks of the vases around her. She saw patterns in a neckline, a loose white shirt, and flaring sleeves with golden embroidery.

For once, she felt a peace.

\------

Adrien found himself doing a similar routine. He would walk through a museum some weekends, find something worthy to steal or destroy, and then sneak into a corner and transform. They he’d Cataclysm, create a scene, and cause Ladybug to come scrambling to fix it. Her Lucky Charm and her Ladybug call would always fix it, but he savored the annoyance on her face.

Sometimes if she didn’t get there fast enough, a victim would become akumatized and she would have double-duty magic troubles. He knew it wasn’t so but sometimes he imagined him and Hawk Moth working together. Although despite Plagg’s warning, he wasn’t really sure that was a good idea. Hawk Moth was so dead set on getting Ladybug’s earrings, he was pretty sure Hawk Moth wouldn't hesitate to take his ring.

Today he chose to visit the Louvre. It began normal and he made his way to the popular exhibits. The Venus statue was a favorite. Except this day he saw his pig-tailed friend descending into the museum. An idea bloomed in his mind.

He followed her until she settled in to a wing of the museum. Then he found a corner to transform in. Thankfully, this portion of the museum had many windows, it was not hard to pop out and locate where she was. She sat there so peacefully, her tongue sticking out of her mouth ever so slightly as she worked.

“Well hello, little lady,” he cooed as he popped in through one of the first story windows, ruining her ruminations. Marinette froze and her eyes turned to saucers as she recognized the voice above her. Chat jumped down and crossed his arms in front of her.

“What are you doing here?” she eyed him aggressively.

Adrien was caught off-guard. Marinette was capable of speaking that way? It was almost with more disdain than the way she talked to Chloe sometimes. It was such a familiar sound…

“Oh you know, just getting to plunder the most famous museum on earth, destroy some famous paintings again, ohhh maybe I’ll go after the Liberty work again,” Chat grinned at her. A French local had gotten so mad last time he did that, they became the literal Liberty angel. That akuma had been one hell of a sight to see.

“Well, you’re in the wrong wing kitty, this is the Sully wing. You totally messed up your grand entrance,” Marinette chided and crossed her arms. She looked around, hoping for a security person to walk through. She was not so lucky, this was not a very popular area of the museum.

Why hadn’t this place been updated with ‘Chat Noir’ emergency buttons along with fire alarms?

“Err… well, you know, I was definitely in the mood for uh…” He glanced up to survey the exhibit he was in. “Greek ceramics! Those are super valuable.” He gave her a half-hearted grin.

Marinette groaned. “Chat, instead of making Ladybug’s life total hell for one day can you just go back to stealing Laduree macaons?” she rolled her eyes as she spoke. Hopefully he would take the hint, the last thing she wanted to do was go cleaning up after his catty messes.

Something flashed in Chat. There was Marinette, the sweet girl from class, rolling her eyes at him.

Just like Ladybug.

“You know, does it look like I always want to do this?” he snapped at her. His eyes widened and he clapped a hand over his mouth. Boy, Plagg was going to get him for that one later.

Marinette spent a solid minute staring that window while and angry bug vibrated in her purse. She heard commotion on the other side of the museum and threw her sketchbook down in frustration. “Ugh!!!! Tikki, spots on!” she growled, and ran off so she could do another pointless miraculous cleanse.

 

She found him at the ancient Venus de Milo statue. He cheekily had pushed over the statue by her breasts and it appeared he was going in with his Cataclysm now.

“Chat, seriously? Are you seriously reaching for her boob? What is your problem?” Ladybug snapped. She wasn’t sure if she should laugh or not. There must be quite the teenage boy under all that. Chat turned around to see her face.

“My Lady, I may be mishearing, but is that the sound of jealousy? Because you know if you ever wanted—“

“NO!!! I would never let your dirty paws touch me,” Ladybug lost her composure for a second. She glanced to the side and internally sighed at the appearance of phone cameras recording the situation. Alya was going to really love this one on her boards. People ate up the banter between them, and the more lewd Chat was the better.

“Well, I must admit, each of theses statues pales in the light of your beauty,” Chat flirtatiously let his words go. He stepped towards her, gesturing at the other statues in the room. Trying not to let his image drop, he was suddenly aware of the truth in his words.

_I think Ladybug is beautiful…_

Ladybug was suddenly so aware of her suits magic, hoping it concealed the intense redness covering her cheeks. “Keep your lame pickup lines to yourself, lover boy. Anyways, I’m waiting. Get on with it already!” The sooner he used up his Cataclysm the sooner he would run off and the sooner she could get back to her sketchbook.

He didn’t let up, today was not her lucky day. “Ladybug, why do you resist me? I know you can’t help but lap up my dashing good looks.” His hand came up and brushed his cheek and went back through his hair, as if to make a point.

“The only thing I can’t resist is thinking about you in jail,” she snapped back. She dispatched her yoyo from her side and began to spin it. If anything, he would know she meant business.

Chat smirked and saw police barreling through the hallway. He could smell a losing battle. “I’ll see you around Ladybug, blow me a kiss will you?” he said as he laid his hand on the statue’s breast with a wink in her direction. It dissolved and he baton-ed away.

In the end it didn’t matter either way, Ladybug fixed it.

\------

That night, Adrien lay awake thinking of his words.

Plagg floated above him. “So, don’t tell me you have a crush on the bug? Because you realize you’re only supposed to crush the bug,” Plagg taunted.

Adrien knew this was payback for his recent public comments to Marinette. “Plagg! I don’t want to hurt anyone. I don't want to hurt her!” he paused. “I don’t know what it is about her. She’s beautiful…” he confessed quietly, avoiding the kwami’s gaze.

“So the truth comes out. But tell me, what happened with that girl from your school? You better watch yourself kid,” his kwami warned. “People are going to think you’re soft.”

“Plagg, I am soft. I couldn’t hurt a fly as Chat Noir, let alone a ladybug. I don’t even know why I’m doing this,” he grumbled, turning over on his side.

Plagg hoped the boy wouldn’t catch on. Plagg knew he was at the whims of his chosen, but Adrien so far had been alone and isolated. He was malleable. And no one had come to find out why just yet.

 

Marinette lay awake, staring at her ceiling. It was that damn pink elephant effect.

When he mentioned touching her, she imagined him touching her.

It made her feel slimy.

But the thought kept coming back. Chat would continuously flirt with her, it was almost impossible not to let his advances enter her mind. But how big was that flirt? Was there some truth under that bravado? It didn't help that she had no idea what his intentions were. But maybe she could use his words to her advantage. Maybe there was a way to throw off that teenage boy.

She was starting to develop an idea, if a bad one. She was going to get to that cat, one way or another.

\------

The akuma battle summoned Marinette again. The akumatized villain drove angrily through the streets, turning every Uber-marked car into a toy car. “I hate Uber!! Putting all taxi drivers out of business--- it’s not fair!”

Ladybug overlooked the situation from a safe distance on top of a roof, plotting about how to take down this one.

“Hello, My Lady,” spoke a slick voice behind her.

Since Alya, bless her soul, had updated the Ladyblog to ping where and when akuma attacks were happening, Chat had been coming to every one like a fly to honey. At least it worked in reverse too—she always knew where Chat was.

Ladybug whirled around and stood up straight. Then she moved to rest her hand on her hip and smirk. “Hello Chat, how nice of you to drop in. Need me to change your litter box again?” she shot at him.

As usual, she would put him out of commission and then race after whatever akuma it was. _This is my chance, let’s put the theory to the test,_  she thought. He was coming so close today.

He laughed at her comment, but Ladybug was swiftly moving towards him.

He knew a punishment to his face was coming, he was prepared.

Deep down, he savored the moment her fist connected with his cheek. It certainly wasn’t the first time.

But she stopped before him and looked at him with wide eyes, with her lips slightly parted she leaned towards him. His breath caught and he stood entirely still. Was Ladybug about to kiss him? His body was entirely frozen, his mind short-circuiting.

Ladybug’s lips gently brushed against his own. _Too close,_ she realized.

And at the very same moment, she brought her knee up into his crotch and jumped away as he doubled over.

 _Oh god_ , he thought as his hands flew down to his lower region, _That’s a new one._

Satisfied with her method of de-commissioning Chat Noir this time, she turned to take care of the real problem.

But something stuck with her. She could have sworn in that moment that Chat tasted amazing. His scent was clean and fresh, it was like a fire opal radiating in her brain. She shuddered and mentally resolved to never attempt that again.

\------

That evening, Chat took a long, cold shower.

He gripped himself, thinking of those lips slightly parted. He recalled her orange-blossom like scent. The thought of that small brush against him...

He lost himself to his hormones.

Why couldn’t he stop thinking about her? The shame filled him as he sat at his desk after, clicking through the Ladyblog. Thank goodness no one caught today’s episode on tape, he didn’t think he could handle seeing that kiss. He didn’t even know if he could call it that. Her lips had ever so softly touched his.

After several more sleepless nights he couldn’t handle it anymore. He needed to speak to Ladybug. She hadn’t attempted another kiss-fake again and he was going crazy over the memory. And he was going after her, at least once, before Plagg could do anything.

\------

In the heat of an akuma battle Chat Noir dropped in. Ladybug started whirling her yoyo. She realized the more distance between them this time would certainly be better. Her sanity could not handle revisiting the situation that happened last time. Since then Chat had been dropping in for battles sporadically, but not really doing much besides taunting. It was almost like he was waiting for something.

“My Lady! I only ask for your audience!” he threw his hands out before him and waved them, trying to clear away what she perceived. “Tonight, meet me atop the Notre Dame. Tonight, at ten.” He leapt away before she could say anything.

Later that evening she found herself talking to Tikki in her room. “What should I do, Tikki? What if it’s a trap?” she thought aloud.

“I don’t think so Marinette! I think it’s time we get to the bottom of this Chat Noir problem. You are more than capable to handle him if you need to,” Tikki decided for her with an approving nod.

\------

Chat got to the Notre Dame too early. He was there by 9:45, pacing.

Oh lord was he nervous.

At 9:55 he heard a soft landing behind him.

 

Ladybug was here.


End file.
